Nostalgia - Forgotten stories
by TwelveHolyKnights
Summary: This is not the first time the 38th generation of the Twelve Holy Knights have fought side by side. Their personality, their abilities, their meeting and their connection are all determined by one's wish. The question is... who wished for this to happen?
1. Prologue

_"__Big Brother, have you ever heard of Reincarnation?"_

_"__You mean that after people die, they will be reborn and live a new life in a new body?"_

_"__Yes. And I heard that although they forget about everything in their past life, their strongest wish will become true in the very next life… Big Brother, do you think it's good to have your wish fulfilled without you being aware of it?"_

_"__Hm, I have no idea. Since you're not aware of it, does it make any difference whether your wish is fulfilled or not?"_

_"__That's true. Then does it mean Reincarnation has no meaning at all?"_

_"__Perhaps... However, if it was "me" in the past life that wished for it, then I guess Reincarnation still brings back a good thing."_

_"__And what is that good thing, Big Brother?"_

_"__A second chance. Since you wish for something strong enough to make it come true in your next life, it must be something that you'd regretted so much. Reincarnation gives you one more chance to make up for it, so it can be considered beneficial."_

_"__But you still don't remember anything, right?"_

_"…"_

_"__Damn you! You are the one who bring up this subject. Why are you that difficult to please?"_

_"__Hey, it's very rude of you to talk with a lady like that! If I already knew the answer, do I have to ask you?"_

_"__You are such a nuisance. Instead of worrying about things that have yet to come, why don't you live this life to the fullest? It's definitely better than sit there and rack your tiny brains until you find out what benefit Reincarnation has."_

_"…__Though what you say is true, can you put it a little more tactful? You're hurting me!"_

_"__Let's go. Everyone is waiting for us."_

_"__Hey, wait for me!"_

* * *

That day, the blonde-haired man who was just like the sun looked up at the endless heavenly blue skies and prayed. He wanted to treasure this very moment instead of thinking about a so far-away future. He wished that this moment would last forever, a moment when he had all his companions gather by his side.

However, this story belongs now to the distant past. His name, his wish, his way of life, and even his existence have long been forgotten…

* * *

_"__But Big Brother, as human, we'll undoubtedly have many things that we feel regretful over._

_What do you wish for?_

_What are your prayers?_

_Do your prayers reach the heaven?_

_Have you been blessed by the gods above?"_


	2. Chapter 1: In the tavern

**Disclaimer: **I do not own The Legend of Sun Knight nor Female Warrior.

**Notes: **Please forgive me if my poor English affects your understanding of the story.

* * *

I was sitting at the bar counter of a tavern, enjoying my glass of grape wine. Soon, a glass of wine would become so luxurious that one couldn't wish for if this situation were to continue.

"Damn it! The mountain pass was breached!" An angry voice resounded, accompanied with the sound of a mug slamming down onto the table.

The noise, of course, drew all of the guests' attention. However, nobody seemed annoyed since this was a hot issue at the moment. At a time like this, who wouldn't discuss the current war?

Last year, the demon race's army had broken through the defensive wall, resulting in the loss of West region. This made the citizens terribly discontented. Not only because West region was one of the most important areas of our kingdom, but also because the demon race had intended to invade the kingdom of Light for a very long time, yet the king made no preparation for war. Eventually, they attacked so suddenly that the border fighting-line, without military aid, lost the battle within two months. Over the past three months, enemy attacks happened repeatedly, so our troops were placed on full alert. If it wasn't for General Oren's leadership, the whole kingdom would fall into enemy hands by now.

Nonetheless, no matter how ingenious the general is, having such an airheaded king only makes his attempt useless. King Nordic was infatuated with liquor and sex, not caring about the citizens' safety. He continuously put pressure on General Oren and refused to provide military funds, which angered the citizens and the soldiers so much. After all, most of the royal knights were General Oren's apprentices. Sooner or later, there would be a rebellion.

The one who just roared angrily and his friends also wore royal knight's costume. _Ironically, when the kingdom was in danger, all the royal knights could do was sit in this tavern, bitterly drown their sorrow in drinks._

One of his comrades patted his shoulder, calmly saying, "Don't be too hasty, Sekiz! That the mountain pass was breached will undoubtedly alarm the king. He must send reinforcements whether he wants or not; at that time, we'll be able to fight by Teacher Oren's side."

The royal knight called Sekiz immediately retorted, "That will never happen! If the demon race had yet to attack the Imperial Palace directly, even if the whole kingdom was sunk in the sea of fire, King Nordic wouldn't mobilize troops! Teacher Oren being able to contend for 3 months is already a miracle. Now he must have reached his limit. If we keep waiting until the king sends troops, it will be too late to do anything…"

Hearing what he said, all of the guests felt low-spirited. The other royal knights also had nothing else to say. Their hands started to clench into fists, their faces drenched with indignation and helplessness. A melancholic atmosphere pervaded the whole tavern.

_They're all young knights of great promise, yet they aren't allowed to fight for their kingdom, resigned to uselessly staying here…_

That knight, Sekiz, jumped to his feet, forcefully saying, "Even if I have to disobey the king's order, I will still go to the battlefield. The Kingdom of Light will be protected by its people. It will be protected by its royal knights!"

His speech brightened everyone's face. It seemed that all of the guests were fascinated by his determination. However, in that atmosphere of enthusiasm, a mocking laugh suddenly resounded.

"Pfffttt! Ha ha ha!"

Everyone took notice of that laughter. It came from a customer who wore a cloak, also sitting at the bar counter. He had his hood pulled low, only half of his face and a few strands of blonde hair to be seen. I had soon paid attention to this person, since he was the only person to calmly drink his wine when everyone else turned to that royal knight.

Knight Sekiz was seemingly provoked, saying in an irritated voice, "What do you laugh at?"

At this time, that person, originally sitting across the bar counter, turned around to face Sekiz, freely replying, "Sorry, but what you said is really too funny, I can't help laughing." He kept chuckling, and then continued, "I can see that you are skilled with a sword on sight, but I also know that you have never gone to war. On the battlefield, you'll need much more than just good swordsmanship. Instead of recklessly going to the front line and risking your own life, why don't you stay here and enjoy the high-grade wine?"

After saying that, he leisurely took a sip of his wine. Though one couldn't see his expression clearly, his manner alone was able to make one angry enough to punch him right in the face.

"What did you say!?" Knight Sekiz shouted aggressively, advancing forward to give that guy a good hiding, but his comrades caught his arm and stopped him on time.

They frowned as they said, "Sekiz, don't lose your temper! It's just an alcoholic talking nonsense. You don't need to get offended."

I was quite surprised. That guy really knew how to talk big. _How many lives does he have that he was even bold enough to get on a first-level knight's nerves? _

"Sigh… It seems like General Oren isn't as talented as it's been rumored. To think that he raised a fiery and reckless apprentice like this, how hopeless!" That guy shrugged as he said in an extremely disappointed manner.

_Now this is troublesome. He doesn't hold back at all!_

Sekiz's fellow knights no longer stopped him, instead, they all roared in unison, "How dare you!?"

I sighed, telling him, "You shouldn't have said that."

He seemed a bit surprised. Still, he only broke into a grin when he turned to look at me.

At this moment, Knight Sekiz drew out his sword, defiantly pointed it at the person that had just angered him, and ground his teeth as he said, "You may insult me, but don't you dare insult my Teacher! Take back your words; otherwise, do not blame me for not warning you first".

Hearing that, the innkeeper pleaded in a panicky voice, "Please don't damage my tavern!"

I felt very pity for the innkeeper. Dealing with guests who were fond of picking a quarrel by nature was truly difficult. Not only did he have to protect himself but he also had to see with wide-opened eyes his tavern being damaged "by mistake". Moreover, the chance of being able to claim compensation from those guests was slim, since somehow they would always end up dragging each other to the forest's edge to finish their fight and then leave without coming back.

Sekiz is a royal knight. He definitely didn't want to harm anyone for his personal grudge. Nonetheless, he couldn't ignore the one who insulted his respectable teacher like that, firmly saying, "If he takes back what he just said, I will let this pass".

Obviously, an apology would solve everything, yet that alcoholic unexpectedly said in an impudent tone, "I will NOT take back my words, so?"

Knight Sekiz's face twitched with anger. His endurance had undoubtedly reached its limit. He immediately rushed to the bar counter and brandished his sword as he shouted angrily, "You bastard!"

That moment, the only thing I heard was the sound of some guests screaming and the innkeeper begging miserably. Whenever I looked back on this day in the future, I still couldn't understand why I decided to stop them and hence stirred up so much trouble for myself. According to _his _explanation, even if I hadn't stopped them that time, I would eventually end up getting stuck with them. That's… what does _he_ call it again? Ah, right. **Destiny!**

So, in accordance to "destiny", I took out my harp in a flash and began to sing:

_"__There's a place where the wind blows_

_Where sorrow can't reach_

_Stopping time_

_Becoming water_

_Losing the shape of waves_

_We are bound together"._*****

The sweet melody took its effect instantly. Knight Sekiz had lowered his sword, stopping dead in his tracks. The other guests were not discontented anymore. In fact, they seemed to be in a daze. Actually, I too was in a daze when I realized what I'd just done. I had no intention of involving in this quarrel and yet…

_Sigh. I'd better get out of here when the spell was still in effect._

I hurriedly finished drinking my wine and placed one silver ducat on the counter to pay for it. As I reached the door, I heard a pleasant voice, "So it turns out to be a mage bard. This is the first time I've seen…"

I was stunned. _The spell doesn't have any effect over that person?_

However, before knowing who that person was, I had already walked out. Since I didn't want to remain here any longer, I ignored the thought of seeing that person and traveled westward.

* * *

**to be continued**

* * *

***Song: Adore (****written by Yuki Kajiura, performed by Kalafina)**


	3. Chapter 2: A duel

**Firstly, I ****want to apology for the extremely late update. Since I'm going to have the 2nd semester examination, I'm so busy that I have no time to write (and my awful English, you know, also slows down the update :D). Secondly, I want to thank all of you for the fav and follow. You guys encourage me a lot 3.**

**About the story, since it's just reached chapter 2, there's nothing much to be revealed. However, in order to avoid confusing dear readers, I have to say that this fic is about the previous incarnation of the Twelve Holy Knights, set about 700 years before Grisia and others' time.**

**All reviews are welcomed! And if you find any grammatical mistakes or things like that, please inform me :D**

* * *

Having got all the things I needed, I intended to buy a horse. The way to the west was quite long. Without a horse, it would take about a month to reach the destination. Moreover, the way was enclosed by forests. Better safe than sorry, I should study the map carefully so that I could set off the moment I had the horse.

As I took out the map, the sound of horse stomping its hooves from afar became clearer and clearer, accompanied with a loud call, "You! The mage bard over there!"

I turned around to see who had just called and realized that person was the alcoholic in the tavern before. Once he stopped and got off the horse, he violently came closer and said, "You owe me a favor!"

I was stunned.

Things seemed to happen so fast that I couldn't keep up with them. Was it me or was he really saying that I owed him a favor?

_I owe him a favor?_

Confused, I asked, "I owe you? What do I owe?"

He replied instantly, "I thought that I was going to have a good fight. You've totally ruined my chance. You have to make up for it!"

I emotionlessly looked at him. He also looked at me. The two of us somehow ended up having a staring competition. Moreover, he was wearing an expression as if wanting to say that I was the great sinner who stole his food when he was starving.

Oddly enough, in such a situation, I should ignore him and leave without a word. And yet regardless of how absurd his reasoning was, I didn't feel uncomfortable at all. To be precise, this person made me unable to take my eyes off him.

I was silent for a moment before saying, "You really think you could have a good fight? No matter what, that knight is a first-level one. Do you truly believe that you can beat him without being sent to see the gods above?"

"Of course I can!" He confidently said.

I gazed at him suspiciously.

Seeing my expression, he complained unhappily, "What with that look? Don't you trust me?"

I frowned and said, "Why should I? Who's gonna trust someone they've just met?"

_Sigh…What's wrong with this guy?_

Perhaps what I felt about him a moment ago was only fugitive sensation.

Unable to hear him rambling anymore, I hurriedly asked, "In short, what do you want me to do to compensate for you?"

On hearing that, he froze.

For quite some time, he didn't seem to respond so I opened my mouth and said, "Well?"

It looked like he had just come to his senses. He scratched his head and awkwardly said, "Ah, my apology! It's just that whenever I ask someone to compensate for me like this, they always call me "You shameless bastard!" I never imagine that you'll agree so fast like that…"

_So you know that you are shameless?_

Of course I wouldn't be that silly to agree to compensate for such nonsense. But I had to find out what this man wanted from me, since he rushed here just to claim compensation for such an easy-to-get-beaten matter… and more importantly, he'd called me "mage bard".

Though he had his hood pulled low and I could only see half of his face, that bright smile was enough to let me know how satisfied he was right now. He kept smiling mischievously like that, and then lifted up his right hand, saying, "I'd like to have 5 days of yours!"

"…"

_This guy!_

Before I could give him an answer, out of the blue, the sound of a horse galloping accompanied with someone's shouting came closer and closer.

"Stop right there!" shouted the man riding the horse.

Seems like another trouble has come… today is definitely not my lucky day!

* * *

It turned out that the one who'd just approached was the royal knight, Sekiz. He was undoubtedly being mad. Previously, he already looked aggressive with that head of red hair, but now he appeared to be even more aggressive with those bloodshot eyes.

He jumped off his horse, immediately came closer, violently grabbed the man's collar and exclaimed, "You shameless, despicable bastard! Are you so scared to have a duel with me that you use such filthy means to run away like that? You coward! Now you're dead!"

Feeling suspicious, I couldn't help but ask, "Filthy means?"

That guy started and tried to give a laugh, "Hahaha, I don't know what you are talking about… It's just an accident. Haha…"

Knight Sekiz grabbed his collar more tightly and shouted angrily, "Accident? You dare to say that it's an accident? It's as clear as day that you intentionally let me fall into that hole, or else you wouldn't run away at once. You knew that there was a hole there, didn't you? And you still have the guts to say that it was an accident?"

While getting shouted at, that fellow didn't utter a word. He only sweated and kept glancing at me… Well, since he hid half of his face under his hood, "glancing" was probably my sensation.

But what was important now was…

I coldly said, "So you are deceiving me, huh? There is no denying that this knight agreed to have a duel with you but you yourself turned down that opportunity, yet you ask me to compensate for you? You sure have some guts, don't you?"

He didn't answer. Instead, it was Knight Sekiz who questioned me, "Who are you?"

I thought a little before answering, "I'm the bard who prevented you two from wrecking the tavern a while ago, sir royal knight."

Still grabbing that guy's collar, Knight Sekiz seriously asked me, "Have you just said that this bastard is deceiving you? And forcing you to compensate for him as well?"

Since I was only speaking the truth, I firmly replied, "Yes, sir."

That fellow clicked his tongue and boldly said, "Hey, I simply want to make your acquaintance by having 5 days of yours. Do you really have to accuse me like that?"

_How despicable this guy can be? Does he know that his speech is enough to have him beaten to death? _

Listening to what he said, Knight Sekiz looked as if he was going to spit out blood. He violently pushed that fellow away and drew his sword as he yelled, "That's it! You bastard! How dare you harbor evil intentions toward a young lady? If you're a man, unsheathe your sword. You want the compensation, huh? Then _I_ will compensate for you!"

As expected of a royal knight. They're always earnest and straightforward, and love to fight for justice, too. However, much as I appreciated him, I didn't want to remain here any longer. There was something I had to do and it couldn't be delayed.

Suddenly, I felt someone's gaze on me. When I raised my head, I realized that that fellow was looking this way. A half-smile appeared on his face, and I knew exactly who that smile was targeted at.

_I have a bad feeling…_

That fellow, still smiling, said to Knight Sekiz, "Well, since you want to compensate for me that much, I won't refuse. Nevertheless, just a mere duel is boring… how about a deal?"

Knight Sekiz frowned and asked, "A deal?"

"If you win, you may do whatever you want to me. Beating, torturing or finishing me off is okay. I don't care much."

Knight Sekiz sniggered and said, "Chez, I do not have the least bit of interest in torturing others, but I'd gladly teach you a lesson for insulting my teacher. What if you win?"

That fellow smiled mischievously, saying, "If I win, then you and that young lady over there will have to go with me in 5 days."

_This guy, he hasn't given up that intention?_

Knight Sekiz advanced with his sword raised high, shouting angrily, "Dream on!"

In a flash, weapons clashed continuously in front of my eyes. Both Knight Sekiz and that fellow's movement are like the wind. If I hadn't watched many fights between master swordsmen before, I definitely couldn't catch up with their moves.

I couldn't help gasping in admiration and astonishment.

Knight Sekiz's swordsmanship is very good. So do his footstep and speed. Actually, in the tavern before, I had realized who he was the moment his comrades called his name.

Sekiz Andrei, Captain of the first unit of the Royal Knight. He is very popular among the Royal Knights and famous for his knighthood. Taught by General Oren, his skill with a sword is not to be underestimated. None of all his peers is in his league when it comes to swordsmanship.

And yet… what was happening right now was that Knight Sekiz was being forced back.

He exchanged a flurry of blows, fast and accurate, but that fellow could ward off all his attacks in such a leisure manner. Knight Sekiz was undoubtedly trying his best and fighting with all his mind, while the other party appeared as if he was having his daily training. So this is the reason why he is confident enough to offer such a deal? There's no denying that his strength is beyond Knight Sekiz's… It's even far better.

One last sound of clashing weapons, and the fight had come to an end. A sword was knocked off of its master's hand, plunging to the ground.

Holding his sword near his opponent's throat, that fellow smiled and said, "Shall we do as dealt?"

* * *

**to be continued**


	4. Chapter 3: Starry sky

**Ah, it's been a while since I posted chapter 2, and yet this chap mentions not-really-important things =) My bad! However, the next chapter probably reveals that fellow's identity (though it'll undoubtedly take me a lot of time to finish it *hides*) so look forward to it!**

**Notes: As usual, please forgive me for my poor English. I'd appreciate it if you could point out to me my mistakes so that I could improve my writting skill.**

* * *

… The forest at night was indeed very cold.

Never before had I gone this far. Staying overnight in the forest like this was also the first time. It was much darker than I'd expected. Scenery seemingly disappearing into the darkness, even the trees which were only about ten footsteps away from us could only be seen vaguely. Occasional winds made the leaves rub against each other and rustle, and the cries of unknown animals calling their fellows brought back a chilly feeling. Everything was dim and unclear. The only vivid thing in my eyes was the campfire. When I returned to that place, I'd not forget this experience. The scarlet fire crackled and radiated the heat. It made the dark night not so scary anymore. I stared at the dancing flames, thinking of the journey waiting ahead.

At this moment, Knight Sekiz looking guilty said to me, "I'm very sorry for dragging you into this trouble. If there's anything I can do to compensate for you, I'm willing to do it."

Frankly speaking, I didn't feel annoyed at all. The truth was that I was very pleased right now. Long time no see them, I forgot that a true royal knight would care so much about little things like these. Apparently, this was what they called "the Way of Knights"? Anyway, I quickly replied, "Please don't be like that, Knight Sekiz. You've done nothing at all. I'm his target in the first place, so it's I who should apologize to you.

"Even if you say so…" Knight Sekiz seemed unconvinced, still thinking that I was just comforting him. I had to explain, "I also have things to do in western, so it's lucky to have a guide. You don't need to feel uneasy."

Eventually, Knight Sekiz sighed with relief and said, "That's good then. Thank you… And from now on, please call my name. You don't have to be so polite."

I smiled and replied, "Alright."

"… Don't pretend as if I'm not here, okay?"

The two of us turned to that fellow and exclaimed in unison, "Oh…"

He unpleasantly said, "I'm not the atmosphere. And do not behave as if I kidnapped you two. It's clear that we do as dealt!"

I looked at him, nonchalantly saying, "When people don't agree with you, you use force to make them do. It's still counted as kidnapping, not as directly as the ordinary, but it's the same."

Sekiz nodded in agreement.

He sulkily said, "I don't bother to argue with you two."

As if he was a child. He at this moment and the master swordsman pressing his sword on Sekiz's throat this morning truly had nothing in common. However, it came as a big surprise to me when he turned out to be one of General Oren's subordinate, coming here to recruit troops. The white rose insignia only given to loyal subjects of the former king he brought along was confirmed by Sekiz, so it might not be wrong. Yet I still wondered what this man wanted from me, a bard. The fact that he called me "mage bard"…

When I tried to ask him why he wanted me to follow them since a bard was obviously of no use on the battlefield, he simply grinned and said, "Just for fun!"

_Go to hell with your "Just for fun"! But for your white rose insignia, I would beat you to death with my harp by now! You can count yourself lucky as I also have things to do in the west._

And even if I asked him why he called me "mage bard", which I did when there were only the two of us, he just explained that he liked to call me so. It was enough for me to not push the matter further. As long as he didn't say anything about this subject anymore, I was fine with it.

That fellow stopped being sulky, turning to us and said, "Now we get to the point! Firstly, I ask for making introductions for convenience. I'll start first. My name is Aisirg, directly under the High Command of Border Guard led by General Oren."

_Apart from your name, is there anything new?_

Nonetheless, Sekiz followed suit and said, "I'm Sekiz Andrei, the ex-captain of the first unit of the Royal Knight. Now I'm simply just a knight."

When it came to my turn, I really find it reluctant. I didn't want them to know my real name, so I introduced myself for form's sake, "Just call me Bard. As you can see, I'm a bard."

Both of them were stunned while listening to my introduction. Aisirg immediately asked, "Is it possible that your name is so odd that you don't want to tell us? Don't worry, we won't laugh at you."

I answered testily, "Cut the crap! Who has an odd name? Should you take off your hood, I will definitely tell you my real name."

In a flash, he changed his attitude and grinned while saying, "Haha, just joking. Don't take it seriously! But I'll remember your words, Bard."

It was only because I wished to satisfy my anger that I said so. But as I thought, Aisirg didn't want to show us his face.

He quickly changed the subject and talked to Sekiz, "That's right. Sekiz, you're a royal knight. To be precise, you're the captain of the first unit, yet why aren't you protecting the Imperial Palace in the capital, instead have a drink in the daytime in the outskirts?"

Sekiz was silent for a while and then said, "We opposed the royal decree of raising the taxes, so we got sent to this place."

My heart sank when I heard that. Ever since the late king, King Leone, the current king's older brother passed away and his only heir, Crown Prince Cretus got exiled for his crime of treason, King Nordic came to power, governing the kingdom by force. Under the burden of such heavy taxation and the order set to apply closed-door policy, the people grew disenchanted with the royal family, but the tyrannical regime made no one dare to protest. The royal knights were in charge of protecting the royalty, quelling the people by order of the king. As a result, they became resented targets. If they took the people's side, they would end up like the first unit of Sekiz, never having the chance of being promoted.

Sekiz continued, "There's also an imperial order asking us to look for someone, but we didn't want that person to be found, so we only patrolled the streets as usual and took a rest soon."

Aisirg asked, "Look for someone… Are you looking for princess Cretia, the only daughter of King Nordic?"

Sekiz looked at Aisirg surprisedly. But it only lasted a few seconds before he sighed and said, "Even someone who has just descended into this place from the west like you already knew this, then there's no point in hiding this anymore. Princess Cretia was nowhere to be found in the palace. At first, the maids thought that she traveled incognito, but later they found out that the princess had gone missing."

Aisirg thoughtfully said, "The princess going missing, no matter what the reason is, the king-opposing faction will still consider it running away for her own life. This may start a rebellion since one of the royal family copped out of her responsibilities. If the princess truly took flight, then it'd be just like that she's making a rod for her father's back."

Sekiz laughed coldly and said, "The current king deserves that. It's really strange that though he has a queen and many mistresses, Princess Cretia is his only descendant. Now even his beloved daughter betrayed her father. That must be karma."

After saying that, he lay down and said, "Isn't it good? It's time this kingdom changed… Ah!"

Sekiz suddenly exclaimed and pointed to the sky with his eyes widening. I and Aisirg both looked up automatically, and the first thing came into our view was the starry sky. In the forest where the sky vanished almost completely still remained a fragment of very deep blue dotted with thousands of twinkling white spots. I amorously watched star after star after star creating a chain of endless light illuminating the night sky.

The corner of Aisirg's mouth lifted up as he said, "No matter what happens on earth, the starry sky remains beautiful like this."

Sekiz pleasantly closed his eyes and said, "Being a deserter is not bad as I thought. Now I can do as I please and protect my kingdom with my sword. As soon as I joined the High Command of Border Guard, I'll practice swordplay more to get back at you."

Aisirg smiled and said while glancing at me, "And I thought that Sekiz you have a sense of responsibility. Now you voluntarily follow me, it can't be counted as kidnapping, righttttt?"

"…"

I came to the conclusion that this guy in front of me was a petty, two-faced bastard!

A used-to-be royal knight, a despicable soldier and a bard… what an odd squad we were. However, it didn't seem so bad. I'd say goodbye to them as soon as we got to the West gate, so let's enjoy this brief moment of peace.

Aisirg suddenly turned to me and said in an eager tone, "Bard, why are you so silent? It's time to sleep. Why don't you sing us a lullaby?"

_You're too old for a lullaby! Are you a baby or something?_

Nonetheless, I sighed, plucked my harp and began to sing.

_"__Although its scent still lingers on_

_the form of a flower has scattered away_

_For whom will the glory_

_of this world remain unchanged?_

_Arriving today at the yonder side_

_of the deep mountains of evanescent existence_

_We shall never allow ourselves to drift away_

_intoxicated, in the world of shallow dreams..."_*****

In front of me, Sekiz and Aisirg had fallen asleep with a look of satisfaction on their faces, or half of their faces since Aisirg still had his hood pulled low. And when the song ended, I was quickly possessed by the drowsiness.

I always love sleeping and dreaming, since that's the only way for me to be able to meet my beloved ones, who I can't even wish to meet again.

That night, I dreamt of my dear older brother.

* * *

***An English translation of "Iroha Uta", a Japanese folk song by Professor Ryuichi Abe.**

**Source: wikipedia**

* * *

**to be continued**


	5. Chapter 4: He is

**I'm backkkkk! Sorry for the ****super**** long absence *bows*. Since it's summer vacation, I finally found time to write Chapter 4 (I'm so touched *snifs*). Ah, but Chapter 5 will have to wait for ****another**** very long time *hides*.**

**Special thanks to my very precious editor: Pikamewgirl! I couldn't do it without your help XD**

* * *

"…rd!"

_Huh? Is someone calling?_

"…ard!"

_What are they saying? I can't hear it._

"Bard!"

_Are they calling me? But my name isn't Bard! I'm…_

"Bard, wake up!"

I felt that someone was shaking me, causing me to hurriedly sit up. Then I opened my eyes and saw Sekiz with a worried look and Aisirg kneeling right beside me.

"What's wrong? Is it already morning? Did I oversleep?" Confused and still half-asleep, the questions tumbled out one after another.

_A lady who oversleeps? That would be too embarrassing... Ah, and again I forget that I'm a bard right now. Oversleeping shouldn't be that much of a problem, right?_

Basing on the color of the sky, I was convinced that there was little chance of me oversleeping. Even if I overslept, that couldn't make them so vexed.

It was Sekiz who answered me, sounding concerned.

"No, it's still the crack of dawn. But are you feeling alright?"

His question made me even more puzzled. The two of them must have noticed that I couldn't understand the meaning of their actions, since Aisirg immediately leaned forward, used a towel to wipe my face and then let me see it.

The towel became damp and there was even blood on it. I shockingly stared at the towel and touched my face. It seemed that the blood came from my mouth and the water - my tears?

Seeing my expression, Sekiz frowned. "You don't know that you are bleeding? You were crying in your sleep, but you didn't make any noise at all... Therefore we only just discovered your state a while ago and decided to wake you up. Should we go find a physician?"

My mind was still a little disoriented. I couldn't understand why I bled. Though there was blood from my mouth, it wasn't that much to panic one. It had already stopped bleeding. Besides, I felt completely alright, so I replied in an even tone.

"It's nothing. You guys don't have to worry about me. I simply had a nightmare; maybe I cut my own lips with my teeth while sleeping. I'm fine, really."

They were silent for a while, apparently unconvinced by my words. Then Aisirg rose.

"Luckily, we can easily search for a physician or something like that in our next destination. We should depart now."

With that, he promptly went to fetch our horses.

Feeling weird, I whispered to Sekiz.

"Is it me or is Aisirg in a bad mood? He seems a little pissed. Normally, he'd say something that makes me angry enough to beat him to death, but now..." I trailed off as Sekiz looked at me as if he was looking at an odd creature.

"Sometimes I wonder if you're really a person with common sense," he complained."Who can act jokingly when there's something wrong with his companion? Not to mention, you're the only girl in our squad! Of course we have to take good care of you."

_Companion?_ That word sounded so strange to me. After all, I had no intention of getting close to them. The moment I agreed to go with them, I already said that all I wanted to do was to reach the West gate, and then we'd go our own way. It couldn't be that they'd forgotten.

"Why troubles yourselves? There's no need for you to worry about me. We've just met and will not travel together for long. Even if I truly have a serious illness, it has nothing to do with you," I huffed indifferently.

At that time, Aisirg came with our horses. Undoubtedly, he'd heard what I said, since his usual smile completely disappeared without a trace. Although I only said what I thought, their expressions told me I must have said the wrong thing.

Sekiz wasn't pleased with my words and wanted to argue. However, Aisirg raised his hand to stop him, so he remained silent. Aisirg handed me the rein of my horse and spoke frigidly.

"We can talk about your behavior later. Now, if you want to go to the West gate as soon as possible, you should obediently take your horse and come with us first."

"... Where are we going?"

"To an elven village."

_Eh?_

* * *

We went deep into the forest. The deeper we went, the bushier it became. Yet the road was still flat enough to take our horses with us. Aisirg truly knew this place thoroughly. He being my guide was really a fortune. Therefore I guessed I should... respect him a little?

Then again, I couldn't figure out if I had done something wrong. Both Aisirg and Sekiz were silent on the whole journey, and I wasn't good at chatting, so I let it be.

When we reached an extremely ancient tree, tall and broad, Aisirg stopped and said, "Here we are."

Out of nowhere, two elves appeared before us. They seemed to recognize Aisirg since they smiled and welcomed him warmly. The three of them spoke in gibberish, or what was likely the elven language. After a few exchanges, they stopped talking and Aisirg gave a sign for us to follow him.

This was the first time I'd ever set foot in an elven village. And I dared say it was such beautiful scenery that every adventurer would yearn to visit this place. The old wood houses adorned with flowers and leaf patterns looked even more gorgeous under the sunbeams. The morning breeze rose wafting in the fresh scent of the villagers' gardens. Everything in here woke up my childhood feelings, a passion for fairytales and myths, and an unnamed excitement when he took me out and... _Wait, what am I thinking?_

The image flashed through my mind just now... Whose back did I recall? It seemed too unfamiliar and impossible to be a fragment of my memories, then why...

"Bard!"

Sekiz's call gave me a start. He and Aisirg already stood in front of the door of a house, which I guessed was the village head's. A female elf opened the door, greeted Aisirg and invited us into the house. We came into the living room, where Aisirg told me to wait as he dragged Sekiz upstairs.

It was the morning, and the female elf, who introduced herself as the village head's daughter, kindly served me my breakfast. She brought me a cup of hot milk, fried eggs and an elven cake called "manna", which tasted like honey-flavored bread. As I was eating my breakfast, she told me that Aisirg and Sekiz were also having their meal upstairs with her father and her son. Though I felt like it was discriminatory treatment, the head's daughter – Eva – said that Aisirg asked her to keep me company since he wanted to discuss something with the village head. In the end, it was still discrimination, but I was the one who made them mad first, so I decided it was best to behave in the meantime.

When I'd finished eating, Aisirg, Sekiz, a young man with a head of green and a senior elf (that was, of course, the village head) came downstairs. It seemed like this elven village was not that hard to find. I thought we would be the only guests, yet another one had already arrived. Aisirg came up to me.

"We have to go somewhere first and will be back in an hour. You stay here and let Eva give you a physical check-up. Don't stir up any trouble!"

He didn't let me respond, swiftly dragging Sekiz and that young man out before I could even open my mouth. _They're acquaintances?_

The village head smiled to me and said, "Rest assured, Miss Bard. They'll come back very soon, as they're only going to the weapons shop to have a look. If you have any questions, please hold them for yourself and ask your companion later because Aisirg wants to answer you directly. Now, excuse me since I've to go take care of some matters. Eva, make sure to check up this young lady's health and then report to me."

"Yes, father."

After the village head left, Eva sat down and used some kind of elf's magic to examine me. A tender light covered me and vanished when Eva completed her examination. Then she asked me, "May I ask if you're a _lyraregia_?"

"... a what?" I asked, confused.

"Oh," Eva exclaimed and said, "It's a word in our language to describe the ones loved by music and able to use it as some kind of magic. However, I've never seen one in my life, as they're extremely rare, even to the extent of existing only in legends. I know about it because I love reading ancient books, but I guess it's unfamiliar with most people."

_Ah, so that word means "mage bard"? Could it be that Aisirg learned it from the elf?_

"It's also unknown to my people," I said, nodding, "And since there are many mages specializing in magic of all types, a lyraregia doesn't make much influence. That aside, do you find in me any health problem?"

"Actually, I can't find any serious problem about your health," she answered."Your body is only a little tired since it has to adapt to a new environment. You must be a novice adventurer, right? Aisirg told me that you vomited blood, but he must have overreacted. It's true that there are traces of blood coming from your mouth, but it seems to have been caused by a panic attack, not an illness. Now that your mind is at ease, you're completely fine."

_So that's how it is..._

I smiled and thanked Eva. I was glad to know there was nothing wrong with my health. Before I found out "that person", I certainly cannot die.

Eva left to inform her father about my state. I sat on the couch silently, going into a daze. Then suddenly, I felt a pair of hands touched my laps. I looked down and saw an elven child. She was so cute with those big emerald eyes and chubby cheeks. Basing on her appearance, she must have yet to be ten years old.

"Big sister, you're so beautiful." The little girl said in a sweet voice.

_How...? Ah, I haven't casted any spell when I came to this village. No wonder she can give me a compliment._

I smiled and rubbed her head.

"Thank you, little girl. You're also very cute. What's your name?"

"I'm Evangeline," she answered."I'm Mama Eva's daughter. Big sister, are you Brother Aisirg's friend?"

"I'm traveling with him. We've just met each other a day ago." I sincerely answered. "Evangeline, are you very close to Aisirg?"

"Brother Aisirg has visited this village ever since he was a child, because his father is a friend of us elves, Mama told me so. I first met him five years ago when he led Brother Yriamle to our house and asked Mama and Grandpa to adopt him, and..."

I hurriedly stopped her, "Hold on, hold on! Aisirg's father is a friend of the elves? Do you know his name? And who's Yriamle?"

I couldn't imagine this little girl wasn't a talkative one. She seemed so excited to tell me about "Brother Aisirg". Though this little girl was lacking in cautiousness, it was lucky for her that I wasn't the villain who would take advantage of a child to find out my enemy's weakness. I only asked out of curiosity, and Aisirg was not my enemy.

She tilted her head and said, "Brother Yriamle is the green-haired man you saw just now. And Brother Aisirg's father is... um..."

Her eyebrows knitted together. She seemed to be so deep in thought, trying her best to remember. I found it quite funny. It was just a question coming from a stranger and yet she was so serious about answering it. I chuckled and said,

"It's alright if you don't remember. You don't have to try to recall it."

Then her face brightened up and she happily exclaimed, "Ah, I know, it's King Leone!"

"... What?"

"I remember that his father's name starts with 'King' and ends with something sounds like 'lion'. Now I remember: It's King Leone! Grandpa told me he once saved an elven child from the evil dark elves. Hence he became our friend. At that time, Brother Aisirg was still a teenager, but Grandpa said he always went with his father whenever he came to this village. Strangely, I've never met Brother Aisirg's father. When I asked Mama, she only said that his father had gone to a faraway place so he couldn't get here anymore, and that I shouldn't ask Brother Aisirg about it. And..."

Evangeline kept talking excitedly. However, I couldn't hear any more of it. There was only one thing inside my mind now.

If Aisirg's father is the "King Leone" I'm thinking of, then that means he is...

* * *

**Who is he? =)**


End file.
